Expansion joint



L. B. GARDNER EXPANSION JOINT Jan. 7, 1941.

Filed 001:. 26, 1937 Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9Claims.

This invention relates to expansion joints.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to produce awater-tight and dirt free expansion joint which is particularlyapplicable for use in places such as vertical walls which may be ofgreat length and which may hold water or other liquid on one side. Whilethe expansion joint of the present invention is particularly applicableto vertical structures it is not limited thereto, as the same may beused also on horizontal structures, such as highways.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a joint ofthe above character wherein there is no danger of injurious foreignmaterial puncturing the joint between the adjacent walls as the wallsexpand and contract.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an expansionjoint with improved means for anchoring the same so that it will not betorn loose from the joined structures as the same expand or contract.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an expansionjoint which is so arranged that it maintains the space between adjacentwalls closed even as they separate from one another on contraction. Toattain this result the joint is made in the form of a cross, two sidesof which extend in the direction of expansion and contraction ofadjacent wall parts and the other two sides extend transversely of thewall, the arrangement being such that separation of the walls producesan extension of the sides of the joint that extend lengthwise of thewalls, which extension in and of itself produces a contraction of thesides that extend transversely of the walls, which transverse sides ofthe joint are provided with tapered edges that are thus drawn into firmengagement with the walls.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present inventionwill be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a wall, twoadjacent sections of which are connected by an expansion joint of thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the expansion joint ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 and illustrating a modifiedconstruction; and

Figure 4 is a reduced sectional view of anot e 55 joint.

sections due to thermal expansion. The sections I and 2 may be part of ahuge wall of great length, or may be the wall of a tank, and may havewater on one side thereof and air on the other. The water-tightexpansion joint between the wall sections I and 2 is indicated ingeneral by the reference numeral 3. The expansion joint may be made ofany elastic material such as rubber, by way of example. The jointextends the full height of the wall and has four imperiorate arms orplates 5, 6, I and 8. The arms or plates project radially from a hollowtubular body I to which they are joined by smooth curved surfaces 9 toform one integral structure.

' The plates 6 and 8 are anchor plates for an choring the joint inplace, and the plates 5 and "I are filler plates. The ends of the platesare enlarged, as indicated at I2--I3 on the plates 6 and 8 and I l-I5 onthe plates 5 and 1.

The enlargements I2 and I3 serve to anchor the joint to the wallsections I and 2, and for that purpose any shaped enlargement issatisfactory. However, the enlargements serve an additional purpose,that of maintaining a watertight seal, to prevent the seepage of waterthrough the joint, and for that reason the inner sides of theenlargements are tapered, or wedge shaped, as indicated at I6, as arealso the inner sides of the enlargements I4 and I5.

As the wall contracts, causing the separation of the wall sections I and2, the arms or plates 6 and 8 are drawn with the wall sections I and 2,thus tending to flatten the tubular body at the curves 9 and pull thefiller plate arms 5 and I inwardly toward the center of the joint. Thiscauses the tapered sides I6 of the extensions I4-I5 to slide on thecorrespondingly tapered surfaces of the wall sections I and 2 and thusmaintain the space between the wall sections I and 2 closed. At the sametime the tapered surfaces I6 of the anchor arms 6 and 8 are drawn intotighter engagement with the adjacent concrete surfaces, thus aiding toseal against the creepage of liquid from one side of the wall to theother through the joint, since the plates Band 8 extend the full lengthof the tubular body l0 and are in fluid-tight relation thereto toprevent leakage of liquid around the tube I0. Later, as the wall expandsand the joint is reduced in size, the reverse action takes place.

The arms ,6 and 8 are pushed towards one another and through the curvedsurfaces 9 force the filler plates 5 and I outwardly so that the taperedsurfaces l6 of the extensions "-45 are pushed outwardly, thus permittingthe surfaces 16 to maintain engagement with the concrete walls.

If desired the opening l0 may be filled with a readily compressiblematerial, such as sponge rubber. If the opening l0 remains unfilled thenthe top of the joint is, preferably, covered to prevent foreign matterfrom dropping into the opening in.

Reference may now be had more particularly to Figure 3. In Figure 3 isshown a joint corresponding to that of Figure 2 except that the plates 5and I have been entirely omitted. In other respects this joint is thesame as that of Figure 2 and similar reference numerals have been usedto indicate similar parts. When these plates are omitted adjacent curves99 are joined by a smooth curve 20. The tube l0 allows for expansion ofthe joint, and the surfaces 16 seal against the creepage of liquidthrough the joint. Any type of compressible filler maybe placed in thespace between the sections l and 2.

Instead of omitting both of the arms 5 and I, as in Figure 3, only onemay be omitted. When this is done the filler arm retained is preferablythe one on the side of the wall that receives the water pressure.

If this joint is used on highway work it may be used in the formillustrated in Figures 2 or 3 or, if only one instead of both of thetiller arms is to be omitted, then it is the downwardly projecting armwhich is omitted, and the upwardly projecting arm is retained.

It is apparent from the above description that it is primarily the tubeii) that is distorted during expansion. or contraction of the joint.Therefore any elastic tube may be used for this purpose, for instance abrass tube. The plates may be made of any desired metal and secured tothe tube by a liquid-tight joint extending the full length of the tube.The plates 5 and i must be compressible to allow contraction of thejoint. If metal is used, those arms may be made hollow, the oppositesides being of thin sheet brass.

In Figure l I have illustrated a joint made of metal. The tubular bodyis indicated at it, being preferably a thin-walled brass tube. Theanchor plates, preferably of steel, are indicated at 6 and 8, and thefiller plates at 5' and 1'. The filler plates are hollow, the walls 25and 26 thereof being thin brass sheets. The plates 5, 6, 1 and 8 aresecured to the tube in fluid-tight relation throughout the length ofthe, tube II). For the sake of simplicity I have shownthe tube l0 assquare, although any other section may be used, and it may have itswalls curved as at 9 in Figures 2 and 3.

From the above description it is apparent that I have provided anexpansion joint which is simple in construction and reliable in itsaction and which is not likely to be injured by foreign material workingits way into the joint as the adjacent wall sections expand or contract.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have hereinshown and described a few preferred forms of my invention. It is,however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to theprecise constructions here shown, the same being merely illustrative ofthe principles of the invention. What I consider new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A water-proof expansion joint for joining adjacent sections of astructure, said joint comprising a resilient tubular body havinganchoring plates projecting from opposite sides thereof and each forminga water-tight sealing fit with the tubular body for the full efl'ectivelength of the body, and at least one compressible filler plateprojecting from the side of the tubular body at substantially rightangles to the anchoring plates and extending the full length of thetubular body, and having an enlargement at the end thereof remote fromthe tubular body, said enlargement extending for the full length of thefiller plate and terminating substantially flush with the outer surfacesof the sections being joined.

2. A water-proof expansion joint comprising a resilient tubular bodyhaving anchoring plates projecting from opposite sides thereof and eachforming a water-tight sealing fit with the tubular body for the fulleffective length of the body, and at least one compressible filler plateprojecting from the side of the tubular body at substantially rightangles to the anchoring plates and extending the full length of thetubular body, said filler plate having an enlargement along the edgethereof opposite the tubular body, which enlargement is joined with thefiller plate by a wedge-shaped taper.

3. A water-proof expansion joint comprising a resilient; tubular bodyhaving anchoring plates projecting from opposite sides thereof and eacha forming a water-tight sealing fit with the tubular body for the fulleffective length of the body, each of said plates having an enlargementfor substantially the full length thereof at its end opposite thetubular body, and at least one compressible filler plate projecting fromthe side of the tubular body at substantially right angles to theanchoring plates and extending the full length of the tubular body, saidfiller plate having an enlargement along the edge thereof 1.

opposite the tubular body, which enlargement is joined with the fillerplate by a Wedge-shaped taper.

4. A water-proof expansion joint comprising a resilient tubular bodyhaving anchoring plates projecting from opposite sides thereof andfiller plates projecting from opposite sides thereof and at right anglesto the anchor plates, each plate extending for the full effective lengthof and forming a water-tight sealing fit with the tubular body, saidplates and tube constituting one unitary structure so that relativemovement of the anchoring plates towards and away from one anotherresults in distortion of the tubular body which produces oppositemovement of the filler plates, each of said plates being outwardlyflared along both sides at its edge remote from the tubular body and forthe full length of tha edge.

5. An expansion joint for joining two sections of a structure andclosing the space there between while allowing relative movement of thesections due to thermal expansion and contraction, said joint comprisinga wedge-shaped strip with the inclined sides thereof resting on the twosections being joined and the top of the wedge substantially flush withthe outer surfaces of the sections being joined, and means responsive tothe separating movement of the joined sections for pulling the stripinwardly in the space between the joined sections, said last meanscomprising a looped member in the space between the sections beingjoined, means anchored in the two sections for distorting the loopedmember as the sections move with respect to one another, and connectingmeans between the looped member and the strip for moving the stripresponsive to distortion of the looped member.

6. An expansion joint for joining adjacent sections of a structure, saidjoint comprising an elastic tubular body having anchoring plates andfiller plates extending therefrom, the filler plates being at rightangles to the anchoring plates, and wedge-shaped means at the end ofeach filler plate and terminating substantially flush with the outersurfaces of the sections being joined for sealing the entrance to thejoint. i

7. An expansion joint for joining adjacent sections of a structure, saidjoint comprising an elastic tubular body having anchoring plates andfiller plates extending therefrom, the filler plates being at rightangles to the anchoring plates, and each filler plate being outwardlyflared at its end remote from the tubular body and terminatingsubstantially flush with the outer surfaces of the sections being joinedfor preventing the entrance of foreign solid matter between thesections.

8. A structure comprising adjacent sections spaced apart to permitrelative expansion and contraction of the structure, an expansion jointjoining said sections and sealing said space between the sections, saidexpansion joint including a filler closing the space between thesections and having a wedge shaped enlargement at an end thereof andextending the full length of the filler, said enlargement terminatingsubstantially fiush with the outer surfaces of the sections and sealingthe space between the sections, and means for drawing the enlargementinwardly responsive to separation movement of the sections whereby thewedge shape of the enlargement maintains the space between the sectionsclosed at the outer surfaces of said sections as said sections recedefrom one another.

9. A structure comprising adjacent sections spaced apart to permitrelative expansion and contraction of the structure, an expansion jointjcining said sections and sealing said space between the sections, saidexpansion joint including a filler closing the space between thesections and having a wedge shaped enlargement at an end thereof andextending the full length of the filler, said enlargement terminatingsubstantially flush with the outer surfaces of the sections and sealingthe space between the sections, and means for drawing the enlargementinwardly responsive to separation movement of the sections whereby thewedge shape of the enlargement maintains the space between the sectionsclosed at the outer surfaces of said sections as said sections recedefrom one another, said last named means comprising a pair of armsanchored in said sections and joined between said sections by a portionlooped toward said wedge shaped enlargement so that the loop is drawnaway from said enlargement upon recession of the sections from oneanother, and said filler being joined to said loop portion.

LYLE B. GARDNER.

